On August 18th 1965, the Beatles and their entouarge flew from Toronto to Atlanta for a concert at the ballpark, where the group would performed at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium as the third stop along their 1965 North American Tour. The group was still a-buzz from their legendary Shea Stadium concert just three days before.

Of the Beatles press conference in Atlanta, Ear Candy Magazine's Donnie Thompson writes: "Approximately 150 reporters, many from high school newspapers, had gathered for The Beatles press conference which began just after 5 p.m. The Beatles answered questions about the tour, their musical tastes, and about Paul's girlfriend, British actress Jane Asher. Later the musicians dined on their catered meal consisting of top sirloin, leg of lamb, and pork loin... The Beatles, so used to surviving on cocktail sausages and soda while on the road, considered this the best meal they'd ever had on tour. So much, in fact, that they autographed their four china plates for the caterer, John signing his 'Thanks for a flat wear.'"

Following their Atlanta performance, the Beatles took flight to Houston, Texas as their 1965 North American Tour moved forward.

- Jay Spangler, www.beatlesinterviews.org

Q: "I want to ask what your unfulfilled ambitions are."

PAUL: "Uhh, I haven't got any."

RINGO & GEORGE: "Neither have I."

JOHN: "Me too."

Q: "How are The Beatles enjoying their tour here in America?"

JOHN: "Very much, thank you. Hello, hello."

GEORGE: "Yeah, it's great."

RINGO: "...having a great time."

Q: "Is Ringo going to be a father soon, and if so, what will he name his child?"

RINGO: "I am gonna be a father soon, and I haven't got a name yet."

Q: "How come you're not hitting more southern cities on your tour?"

JOHN: "We don't know, you know. It's not up to us where we go. We just climb in the vans."

GEORGE: "Well that question, you know, it's stupid for a start because Paul isn't married either, is he? So if you'd like to ask the question again and count Paul in."

PAUL: "Right, and we'll both talk at the same time."

Q: "What are your matrimony plans?"

GEORGE: "I haven't any."

Q: "Paul, what about you and Jane Asher? What's the story?"

PAUL: "What about us?"

RINGO: "Go on, tell them."

PAUL: Well, I haven't said anything to anyone. But people keep writing about it, and putting it in papers and things. So um, you know... I'm getting to believe it. It's daft, you know. I never said a word about it, anyway. They just keep quoting."

Q: "Do the boys have any Atlanta acquaintances?"

JOHN: "Not yet."

RINGO: "No."

Q: "I'd like to ask George Harrison... You fellas seem to have started a complete new trend in music, in
clothes, and in hairstyles. When you think about what you started, are you proud of it?"

GEORGE: "Yes."

Q: "I'd like to ask George Harrison about having a nightclub named after
your hair. Are you thrilled?"

GEORGE: "Well, I was until I saw the nightclub."

JOHN: "How about that?"

PAUL: "How about a hand for that boy! A big hand! What a show!"

Q: "I'd like to ask Ringo... I understand that you like country and western music, and I was wondering if The Beatles have any plans for recording in Nashville?"

RINGO: "I do like country and western, and we have no plans of recording in Nashville."

Q: "Does George like classical Spanish music?"

GEORGE: "Yeah."

Q: "Do the rest of you like any classical music?"

RINGO: "Classical rock and roll."

GEORGE: "The thing is, I like it but I couldn't get out of bed in the morning and put it on, you know. It's only certain times I can listen to it."

PAUL: "We all like different kinds of music. Only, sort of, bits of it. A bit of Tchaikovsky here and there, you know."

Q: "Where do John and Paul get their ideas for writing songs?"

JOHN: "Out of John and Paul's heads."

Q: "If The Beatles could attend someone else's concert what artists would they go and see?"

JOHN: "There's lots of them, you know."

PAUL: "...at the Apollo or something like that."

JOHN: "Like, to go to the Apollo and see everybody that goes there."

Q: "I have a question for all The Beatles here. If you were sitting at home listening to record albums of other recording artists, who are some
of the American recording artists that you prefer?"

JOHN: "Otis Redding is one."

GEORGE: "Yeah."

PAUL: "James Brown."

JOHN: "There's lots of them."

GEORGE: "Nina Simone."

PAUL: "Chuck Jackson."

GEORGE: "There's hundreds of them."

JOHN: "Many, many."

Q: "What do you think of Elvis Presley?"

JOHN: "We liked his early stuff, you know."

PAUL: "We liked it a lot more than the stuff that he does now."

JOHN: "We still play his..."

PAUL: "He was wilder then, you know, and he's gone a bit middle-aged.
You know the image. You know what I mean. We still like him, though."

Q: "Is this The Beatles last tour?"

BEATLES: "No."

Q: "Of America?"

BEATLES: "No."

Q: "I heard something about Nashville, and... did you say you were not going to record there?"

RINGO: "There's no plans to record there."

GEORGE: "There's no point of us recording anywhere else, you know. I mean, we'd probably end up with the same sound wherever we record, you know, so what's the point?"

Q: "Do the Nashville music companies, do they send you their material or do you ask them to, like Carl Perkins stuff?"

JOHN: "We just bought that years ago when it was out, you know."

PAUL: "We just do it 'cuz we've got the records."

Q: "I'd like to ask any Beatle, what do you think of the groups-- American or otherwise-- copying your style, hair, and your style of music?"

JOHN: "We don't mind. It's no worse than the British ones doing it."

Q: "Who is your A & R man?"

JOHN: "George Martin."

GEORGE: "It's written on the back of every album."

JOHN: (to George, about the question) "He doesn't own the albums, he just wants to know."

GEORGE: "Well, you gotta buy some."

Source: Transcribed by www.beatlesinterviews.org from audio recording of the press conference